Finding a nearby health facility is crucial when you need medical treatment quickly. Sometimes, an ambulance may transport you directly to the nearest in-patient hospital in emergencies. But what if your situation doesn’t require long-term treatment or access to the extensive equipment found in emergency departments? That’s where medical centres come in handy. At these facilities, you can receive a range of minor treatments, from dealing with infections to undergoing minor surgeries.
This guide will show you exactly how to begin your search for a “medical centre near me” and delve into the different types of health facilities available to treat you.
What Is a Medical Centre?
Unlike in-patient hospitals or mental health centres, which may require you to stay for an extended period, medical centres offer services that allow you to return home the same day. In simple terms, medical centres are designed to address less severe health issues that don’t necessitate long-term care. It’s essential to differentiate between these types of health facilities in an emergency, as knowing the closest facility that can provide the immediate services you need can be crucial.
Furthermore, these centres offer the following services:
- Diagnosis
- Medical Treatments
- Preventative Care
- Surgery
The Types of Medical Centres in Australia
In Australia, there are many different places where you can get medical help, like online general practitioners, clinics, and special health centers. Let’s take a look at the main same-day medical facilities:
1. Day Hospital
Free-standing or ‘Day’ centres are hospitals that only offer same-day treatments. They’ll transfer you to an inpatient hospital if you require long-term care or need to recover. However, they may keep you for another 23 hours should you need it.
2. General Practice
In Australia, a clinic is a ‘general practice’ or even a ‘surgery’. This is a small facility with a few health practitioners. Among them are general doctors offering these services:
- Medical Treatment
- Medicine Prescription
- Referral to Specialists
Moreover, they may provide some of these services through telehealth care.
While most operate during the day, there are also ‘after-hours general practices’. They offer the same services as their day counterparts. However, they are available when most general practices close.
3. Urgent Care Clinic
Among the types of medical centres, there are urgent care clinics. They offer treatments for non-life-threatening conditions. For instance, if you sprained your ankle, you can visit this kind of centre. In addition, they accept walk-ins and bulk billing. Plus, they’re open longer than the average general practice.
Examples of conditions they treat are:
- Mild Infections
- Minor Cuts
- Neck and Back Pain
- Respiratory Illnesses
- Rashes
- Minor Burns
- Small Fractures and Sprains
- Insect Bites
- Gastroenteritis
Where Is the Nearest Medical Centre Near Me?
The fastest way to locate a nearby medical centre is to look for it online. You can find them on some of the following medical centres on search engines:
- 13CURE
- Healthdirect
- Yellow Pages
Alternatively, you could consider networks of clinics near you, such as:
- Urgent Care Network
- SmartClinics
- IPN Medical Centres
- MSI Australia
- I-MED Radiology Network
Factors to Consider in Selecting the Best Nearby Medical Centre
Now that you have found close-by centres that can treat you, choosing the right one is crucial to receiving prompt care. Therefore, you should consider these three factors:
Walk-in vs Appointments
Though these centres take in out-patients only, they may require appointments. Therefore, you should base your decision on whether you’re willing to take on an appointment based on the immediacy of your condition.
For example, if you need a vaccination, you could make an appointment with a general doctor. However, if you have a cut that requires immediate treatment, you should select a centre that accepts walk-ins, like urgent care clinics.
Private vs Public
Australian medical centres can either be public or private. If they’re funded by the government, such as urgent care clinics, they’ll accept your Medicare coverage and bulk-bill you. This would reduce the cost of your treatment compared to if you paid the entire cost.
Conversely, private centres may require you to pay full price or may need you to use your private health insurance. Therefore, you need to select a centre that will accept the kind of insurance you have and offer you the payment options you prefer.
Recommendations
When you have multiple centres nearby, you should select the one that suits you the best. You can ask your current general doctor for a referral, as they will transfer you to a centre they trust to serve you well. Alternatively, you could request your loved ones, neighbors, or colleagues for their opinions. Or you could rely on online ratings in search engines and review sites such as Yelp.
Conclusion
Medical centres offer same-day treatments for when you need to see a doctor but don’t need long-term hospitalization. Urgent care clinics, general practices, and day hospitals are the major types of medical centres. They differ based on the services they offer and their opening hours.
To find a nearby medical centre, you can search for them on search engines. Then, you should select a centre based on how quickly their doctors can treat you and whether their payment options suit you. If they come highly recommended by your general doctor or loved ones, consider that, too.